The present disclosure pertains generally to electronic locating devices for determining the location or position of a pet or an object, and more particularly, a device for determining the location or position of a pet by utilizing the capabilities of two-way paging systems and satellite navigation systems.
Tracking the location of an individual or an object or even an animal such as a domesticated animal or a pet that can move in unknown directions over a considerable range of territory has been a concern for a number of years. A number of systems have been proposed which employ existing wireless communication capabilities but which tend to be cumbersome, bulky, expensive or all of the above. With the advent of satellite navigation systems such as the global positioning system (GPS) services in the U.S.A. or the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) in Russia, it has been possible to provide relatively inexpensive location systems for determining the location of a moving object. This type of system has typically been utilized on trucks to provide location information for companies that have large fleets of trucks in use at any one particular time. The position of an individual truck is determined by coincident reception of signals from at least three navigation satellites by a satellite navigation system receiver, which position can then be stored or can be transmitted to a central receiving station via some sort of wireless link. Moreover, the wireless link can be a two-way communication link wherein the positioning information is only transmitted in response to receiving a request. One disadvantage, particularly in a small, portable unit, is that the satellite navigation system receiver that must be included in a locating device requires the use of substantial electrical energy during the period in which the location information is being acquired and developed from the GPS system. Further, a small portable object locator, in addition to minimizing the use of electrical power while being subject to less than ideal orientations to enable quick and efficient location by the GPS system, must also be very simple and easy to use.
In one embodiment, a locating device is disclosed for attachment to an animal and adapted to obtain and communicate location information about the animal to a fixed or mobile base station, comprising a controller having a memory, an input for location data and a first communication port; a satellite navigation system receiver coupled to a first antenna and having a location data output coupled to the location data input of said controller; a communication transceiver coupled to a second antenna to receive and transmit communications between the locating device and the base station and having a second communication port coupled to the first communication port of the controller; and a housing to enclose the controller, the satellite navigation system receiver and communication transceiver, configured to be attached to the animal. The controller upon activation operates automatically to obtain location data from the satellite navigation system receiver via the location data output, store the location data in the memory and cause the location data to be accessed from the memory, coupled to the communication transceiver and transmitted to the base station.
In another aspect the controller in the locating device is adapted to become activated when the locating device is secured to the animal, power is coupled to the locating device and the animal passes a perimeter enclosing an area. The perimeter is specified by one or a plurality of coordinate positions defined by the location data obtained by the locating device.
In another aspect a system is disclosed for locating a mobile object beyond a designated area comprising a wireless bidirectional communication system, a first transceiver operable as a fixed or mobile base station in said communication system to receive and display location information and transmit commands, and a locating device attached to the mobile object and operable as a mobile station in said communication system to respond to the commands and, upon activation, to obtain location information and transmit it to the first transceiver.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the operation of enabling the satellite navigation system receiver in the object locator may be controlled by duty cycle controls which activate the satellite navigation system receiver to periodically check the location of the animal or object. Upon determining that the animal or object is outside a specified perimeter designating an area, a message signifying such location is automatically transmitted to a base station.
In another aspect a position determining device is disclosed comprising a satellite navigation receiver for automatically providing computed position information, when the device has changed its position relative to a predetermined location, to a paging transmitter for transmission to a paging receiver for readout of the computed position information. The readout may be in the form of coordinates and may be accompanied by a message or alarm. The device may be configured as a portable unit of small size and economical manufacture.